Srinagar, Feb 23: Opposition National Conference targeted Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti for “promoting nepotism” as her cousin, and PDP vice-president Sartaj Madni’s son’s named figured in the list of selected Executive Officers for the J&K Khadi and Village Board.
“Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti must explain how the son of PDP vice-president and her uncle, as well as the nephew of PDP general secretary Peerzada Mansoor Hussain, figured in the list of selected Executive Officers for the J&K Khadi and Village Board,” NC said in a statement here.
Lashing out at the Chief Minister, NC state spokesperson Junaid Azim Mattu said the government has taken the patience of unemployed youth for granted and “should not try to portray this brazen nepotism as a miraculous coincidence”.
“PDP’s tall rhetoric has fallen flat on its face and this recent list of the KVIB is another proof of PDP’s insidious and nepotistic style of politics,” NC said.
It said the select list includes the PDP vice-president Sartaj Madni’s son Syed Aroot Madni, with roll number 703982 issued by KVIB, while PDP general secretary Peerzada Mansoor’s nephew, Peer Kashif Hussain figures at serial number 2 in the waiting list with roll number 101830.
“Most of the people figuring in the final list issued by KVIB are either children of close associates of PDP leaders or have direct patronage from the powers that be,” NC alleged.
“The Chief Minister is directly culpable for this open loot and plunder she has authorized in the state. The institutions of the state have been ravaged by the PDP and corruption has been institutionalized by the Chief Minister and her family members,” the NC spokesperson said.
Demanding an immediate independent probe into the list issued by the KVIB, the NC spokesperson said this was a cruel joke with the youth of the state who are reeling under unprecedented unemployment and hopelessness while children of PDP leaders are being adjusted in government departments and boards through manipulation and open corruption.
“Is this why the state government has placed its leaders as VCs of these boards? So that they could adjust their children in these institutions? What is the message you are sending out to our youth?
“Our youth stands dejected, isolated and alienated not only due to the political sellout of the PDP to come to power, but also due to this rampant patronage to nepotism and corruption by the Chief Minister,” NC alleged.
“Rather than investing all her time in photo-ops and theatrics, the Chief Minister should introspect and realize she is pushing the youth to the wall and testing their patience,” the opposition spokesperson added.
